the road to madinah · and internet, a trip in the desert on camel-back to reach a distant oasis...
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Table of Content
Introduction .................................................................. 3
Hijrah: Meaning and Story ............................................. 5
True Meaning of Hijrah .......................................................6
Five Important Areas for a True Hijrah .............................. 9
Story of the Hijrah ............................................................ 12
Lessons and Reflections ................................................ 21
Hijrah Still Offers Valuable Lessons ................................... 22
Perfect Planning and Reliance on Allah ............................. 25
Perfect planning ............................................................. 26
Reliance on Allah ............................................................ 30
For Muslim Minorities ...................................................... 34
True Spirit of Citizenship ................................................. 35
Peaceful Co-Existence ..................................................... 37
Developing the Community ............................................ 38
Noble Characters and Behavior ...................................... 40
Lessons for New Muslims ................................................. 43
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The Road to Madinah
Table of
Content
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Put Your Trust in God...................................................... 44
A Professional Guide ....................................................... 46
In Madinah ..................................................................... 47
Hijrah Heroes ............................................................... 50
Abu Bakr As-Siddiq ........................................................... 51
Umm Salamah .................................................................. 54
`Umar ibn Al-Khattab ....................................................... 62
Asma’ Bint Abi Bakr .......................................................... 67
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Introduction
It is the new Hijri Year;
the 1434th anniversary of
the Prophet's immigration
to Madinah; a special
moment that evokes a
long journey of tireless
work to deliver the
message of Allah to
humanity, the message of
light, mercy, compassion,
solidarity, and justice.
As this dear occasion approaches, we remember the
incomparable dedication of the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) and his companions, the
matchless sacrifices they offered, the pains and tears of
those devoted heroes who preferred to give up their
homes, wealth, comfort, families, and everything but
not the call and message they were entrusted with.
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The Road to Madinah Introduction
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Thanks to their noble endeavor, about one billion and
half of humans are blessed with Islam throughout the
world; the call of Athan is made 24 hours around the
globe; the light of faith continues to shine on hearts and
souls.
This book, The Road to Madinah, is part of our special
coverage of the great event of Hijrah. The book chapters
cover the Hijrah meaning, story, reflections, lessons,
and the stories of a selected number of the companions,
the heroes of Hijrah, who set a great example in
dedication, faith and sacrifice.
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Hijrah:
Meaning and
Story
True Meaning of Hijrah
Story of the Hijrah
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True Meaning of Hijrah1
As Muslims around the
world celebrate the Hijri New
Year, everyone is focused on
remembering and telling the
story of Prophet
Muhammad’s migration from
Makkah to Madinah and the
hardships he had to endure
in the preparations and on
the way. Everyone memorizes the beautiful song the
Ansar greeted him with, and every Muslim longs to visit
Madinah for its special place in the Prophet’s heart.
Within a modern setting where we have cars, planes
and internet, a trip in the desert on camel-back to reach
a distant oasis with sword-wielding infidel thugs in
pursuit becomes more of a folktale than a true-life
experience rich with lessons we could all learn and
practice until the end of time, no matter how modern or
educated we are.
1 An article written by Sahar El-Nadi.
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Very few of us realize that Hijrah did not end as soon
as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reached
Madinah safely and was welcomed with the famous
song. Most Muslims are not aware that Hijrah actually
extends until our present day so each one of us could
enjoy some of its benefits.
True, the first immigrants (Muhajerun) at the time of
the Prophet have a special privilege over the rest of us,
but let’s also remind ourselves that this door of mercy
was not totally closed to the rest of the nation after
them. Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon
him, said:
"A Muslim is someone who spares people the harm of
his tongue and his hand, and a migrant is someone who
migrates away from what God has forbidden".
This amazing statement actually gives us great hope
that we too could be eligible for some of the rewards of
“muhajerun”, here is how:
The simple meaning of the word Hijrah (migration) is
to move from one place to the other and take up
residence there. Today, people immigrate to other
countries to make a better living: find better jobs,
education, or marriage opportunities, yet, by Islamic
standards, the scope is much wider.
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The reasons behind the move have to comply with
Islam. Seeking a better living for self and family is
indeed a great cause and it is actually encouraged in
Islam, but it becomes greater if one leaves a place
where he is restricted in practicing Islam or pressured
into destructive beliefs and habits, and migrates to a
new place where he and his loved ones could enjoy
more freedom to practice Islam in a more supportive
environment.
In parallel, another dimension of Hijrah happens
discreetly in the heart, and eventually reflects on one’s
behavior and relationship with the rest of the world. This
is the type of Hijrah mentioned in the Prophet’s
statement: migrating “away from what God has
forbidden” not just physically by moving to a new place,
but also spiritually and ethically, by choosing good over
evil and ethics over corruption, and pledging to
withstand the tribulations of struggling to stay on that
path for life.
This implies being knowledgeable and mindful of
God’s commands and prohibitions in the Quran and
Sunnah, being strong enough to control one’s urges,
being aware of the world around us, and seeking to rise
in rank in the sight of God by constantly working to be a
better person and a better Muslim. Obviously this is
something we could all do every day, and it’s not a
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coincidence that the Prophet mentioned good manners –
sparing people the harm of tongue and hand- in
conjunction with Hijrah in this hadith.
Five Important Areas for a True Hijrah
To attain true Hijrah, here are the five areas we have
to work on:
Faith: A weak faith is the first enemy of a prospect
immigrant. The first immigrants would have never left
all their possessions behind and migrated unless they
had faith as solid as mountains in God’s words and His
prophet’s leadership. Like them, we should work on
strengthening our faith to be able to pull away from
what God has forbidden.
Knowledge: Our second enemy on the path of Hijrah
is ignorance. Only with good knowledge could our faith
see us through the trials and tests of staying on the
straight path. This knowledge should not be limited to
religious information only, but should also include
modern sciences and arts, history, philosophy, world
news, other cultures and other religions. Muslims had a
glorious civilization only when they knew the true
meaning of knowledge.
Acts of worship: The lifeline of the soul is its
connection to its Creator. Worship not only brings us
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closer to God and supplies us with essential strength,
resolve and tranquility, but also humbles us enough to
see we’re only creatures like the rest of the creation,
and that we have to maintain an ethical relationship with
the universe and other people. While migrating away
from what God has forbidden, we have to have a new
destination to migrate to, and that destination is
determined by the degree of our closeness to Him
through worship.
Desire: The Quran describes eloquently the different
types of human desire “nafs”, and it is the responsibility
of each of us to discover which type they belong to and
follow the Quranic wisdom on how to deal with its tricks.
Controlling one’s urges and desires is detrimental to how
much success in this life one achieves as a migrant to
God.
Ethics : A person who is full of great concepts and no
deeds to prove it is a loser. Unless we can “walk the
talk” there would be no hope for us to strengthen our
will to reach our goals and our resistance to distractions.
And unless our Islamic ethical system is apparent
through our everyday behaviors and manners, there is
no hope for us to be true Muslims either according to the
Prophet’s hadith. For what good is it to veil, pray and
fast then steal, lie and gossip? When the Prophet begins
by describing a Muslim as someone who is well
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mannered, he is actually reminding us that Islam is a
practical code of ethics not just a set of spiritual
concepts.
In short, a true immigrant is an ethical, well-
mannered and pious Muslim, and that is what we should
all strive to be everyday of our lives.
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Story of the Hijrah1
When the persecution of
the people of Makkah
against the Muslims grew
intense, Allah commanded
them to emigrate so that
they could establish the
religion of Allah in a land
where they could worship
Him.
Allah chose Madinah as the land of Hijrah (emigration
for the sake of Allah). The Messenger (peace and
blessings be upon him) saw in a dream that he was
immigrating to that city. It was narrated from Abu Musa
that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
said: “I saw in a dream that I was emigrating from
Makkah to a land in which there are date palms,
and I thought that it was Al-Yamamah or Hajar,
but it turned out to be Madinah, Yathrib.”• (Al-
Bukhari and Muslim)
1 Republished at OnIslam.net, with slight modifications, from islam-
qa.com.
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Al-Bukhari also narrated on the authority of `A'ishah
that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said
to the Muslims: “I have been shown the land to
which you will immigrate: it has palm trees
between two lava fields, two stony tracts.”• So,
some people immigrated to Madinah, and most of those
people who had previously immigrated to the land of
Ethiopia, returned to Madinah.
Commenting on this hadith, Al-Hafiz wrote: "The
harrah (stony tract) is land whose stones are black. This
dream was different from the dream mentioned above in
the hadith of Abu Musa in which the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) was not sure where that land
was. Ibn At-Teen said: The Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him) was shown the land of immigration in a
way that could apply to Madinah and to other places;
then he was shown the feature that is unique to Madinah
so it became clear which land that was.”•
With regard to the first Companions of the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) to emigrate, Al-Bara'
(may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The first ones
who came to us of the Companions of the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) were Mus`ab ibn
`Umayr and Ibn Umm Maktum. They started to teach us
the Qur’an. Then `Ammar, Bilal, and Sa`d came, then
`Umar ibn Al-Khattab came with twenty others. Then
the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came,
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and I never saw the people of Madinah rejoice more
than that. They rejoiced so much that I saw the girls
and boys saying, “This is the Messenger of Allah (peace
and blessings be upon him), he has come” (Al-Bukhari).
The following hadith sums up many of the events of
the Prophet’s emigration: It was narrated on the
authority of `A'ishah that he Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) said to the Muslims: “In a
dream I have been shown your place of
immigration, a land of date palm trees, between
two lava fields, the two stony tracts.”• So, some
people immigrated to Madinah, and most of those
people who had previously immigrated to the land of
Ethiopia returned to Madinah. Abu Bakr also prepared to
leave for Madinah, but the Messenger of Allah (peace
and blessings be upon him) said to him, “Wait for a
while, because I hope that I will be allowed to
emigrate also.”• Abu Bakr said, “Do you indeed
expect this? May my father be sacrificed for you!”• The
Prophet said, "Yes." So Abu Bakr stayed behind for the
sake of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be
upon him) so that he could accompany him. He fed two
she-camels he owned for four months.
One day, while we [`A’ishah is still narrating] were
sitting in Abu Bakr's house at noon, someone said to
Abu Bakr, "This is the Prophet (peace and blessings be
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upon him) with his head covered, coming at a time at
which he never used to visit us before." Abu Bakr said,
"May my father and mother be sacrificed for him. By
Allah, he has not come at this hour except for something
important." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) came and asked permission to enter, and he
was admitted. When he entered, he said to Abu Bakr:
"Tell everyone who is present with you to go
away." Abu Bakr replied, "There is no one here but you
are my family. May my father be sacrificed for you, O
Messenger of Allah!" The Prophet said, "I have been
given permission to emigrate." Abu Bakr said, "Shall
I accompany you?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings be upon him) said, "Yes." Abu Bakr said, "O
Messenger of Allah, may my father be sacrificed for you,
take one of these two she-camels of mine." The
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
replied, "(I will accept it) with payment." So we
prepared the baggage quickly and put some journey
food in a leather bag for them. Asma’, the daughter of
Abu Bakr, cut a piece from her waist belt and tied the
mouth of the leather bag with it, and for that reason she
was named dhat al-nitaqayn, the One with Two Waist-
belts.
Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be
upon him) and Abu Bakr reached a cave on the
mountain of Thawr and stayed there for three nights.
`Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr, who was an intelligent and wise
youth, stayed (with them) overnight. He would leave
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them before daybreak so that in the morning he would
be with the Quraysh, as if he had spent the night in
Makkah. He would keep in mind any plot made against
them, and when it became dark he would (go and)
inform them of it. `Amir ibn Fuhayrah, the freed slave of
Abu Bakr, used to bring the milch sheep (of his master,
Abu Bakr) to them a little while after nightfall. So they
always had fresh milk at night, the milk of their sheep.
`Amir ibn Fuhayrah would then take the flock away
when it was still dark (before daybreak). He did the
same on each of those three nights. The Messenger of
Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Bakr
had hired a man from the tribe of Banu Ad-Dayl from
the family of Banu `Abd ibn `Adiy as an expert guide, …
he was of the religion of the polytheists of the Quraysh,
but the Prophet and Abu Bakr trusted him and gave him
their two she-camels and made an appointment with
him to bring their two she-camels to the cave of the
mountain of Thawr in the morning after three nights had
passed. And (when they set out),`Amir ibn Fuhayrah
and the guide went along with them and the guide led
them along the coast.
Ibn Shihab said: `Abdur-Rahman ibn Malik Al-Mudliji,
who was the nephew of Suraqah ibn Malik, told me that
his father informed him that he heard Suraqah saying:
The messengers of the Quraysh came to us declaring
that they had assigned for the persons who would kill or
arrest the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be
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upon him) and Abu Bakr, a reward equal to their blood-
money. While I was sitting in one of the gatherings of
my tribe, a man from them came to us and stood while
we were sitting, and said, “O Suraqah! I have just seen
some people far away on the shore, and I think they are
Muhammad and his companion.”• Suraqah added: I
realized that it must have been them. But I said, “No, it
is not them, but you must have seen so-and-so, and so-
and-so whom we saw setting out.”•I stayed in the
gathering for a while and then got up and left for my
home. I ordered my slave-girl to get my horse, which
was behind a hillock, and keep it ready for me.
Then I took my spear and left by the back door of my
house dragging the lower end of the spear on the
ground and keeping it low. Then I reached my horse,
mounted it and made it gallop. When I approached them
(i.e., Muhammad and Abu Bakr), my horse stumbled
and I fell down from it. Then I stood up, got hold of my
quiver and took out the divining arrows and drew lots as
to whether I should harm them or not, and the lot which
I disliked came out. But I remounted my horse and let it
gallop, giving no importance to the divining arrows.
When I heard the recitation of the Qur’an by the
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
who was not looking around although Abu Bakr kept
doing that, suddenly the forelegs of my horse sank into
the ground up to the knees, and I fell down from it.
Then I rebuked it and it got up but it could hardly lift its
forelegs from the ground, and when it stood up straight
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again, its forelegs caused dust to rise up in the sky like
smoke. Then again I drew lots with the divining arrows,
and the lot which I disliked came out. So I called to
them to let them know they were safe. They stopped,
and I remounted my horse and went to them. When I
saw how I had been hampered from harming them, it
came to my mind that the cause of the Messenger of
Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would become
victorious. So I said to him, "Your people have assigned
a reward equal to the blood-money for your capture."
Then I told them all the plans the people of Makkah had
made concerning them. Then I offered them some
journey food and goods but they refused to take
anything and did not ask for anything, but the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Do not tell
others about us." Then I requested him to write for
me a guarantee of security. He ordered `Amir bin
Fuhayrah to write it for me on a piece of animal skin,
then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be
upon him) went on his way.
When the Muslims of Madinah heard that the
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
had departed Makkah and was heading towards them,
they started going to the harrah (stony tract formed of
lava) every morning. They would wait for him till the
heat of the noon forced them to return. One day, after
waiting for a long while, they returned home, and when
they went into their houses, a Jew climbed up onto the
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roof of one of the forts of his people to look for
something, and he saw the Messenger of Allah (peace
and blessings be upon him) and his companions dressed
in white clothes, as if they were emerging out of a
desert mirage.
The Jew could not help shouting at the top of his
voice, "O Arabs! Here is your great man whom you have
been waiting for!" So all the Muslims rushed to pick up
their weapons and went to meet the Messenger of Allah
(peace and blessings be upon him) on the lava field. The
Prophet turned to the right and alighted in the land of
Banu `Amr ibn `Awf. This was on a Monday in the
month of Rabi` Al-Awwal. Abu Bakr stood receiving the
people while the Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings be upon him) sat and kept silent. Some of the
Ansar (Helpers), who came and had not seen the
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
before, began greeting Abu Bakr, but when the sunshine
fell on the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be
upon him) and Abu Bakr came forward and shaded him
with his cloak, only then did the people recognize the
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon
him) stayed with Banu `Amr ibn `Awf for ten nights and
established the mosque that was founded on piety, the
Mosque of Quba'. The Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings be upon him) prayed in it and then mounted
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his she-camel and moved on, accompanied by the
people till his she-camel knelt down at the place where
the Mosque of the Prophet now stands in Madinah. Some
Muslims used to pray there in those days, and that place
was a yard for drying dates belonging to Suhail and
Sahl, two orphan boys who were under the guardianship
of As`ad ibn Zurarah. When his she-camel knelt down,
the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon
him) said, "This place, Allah willing, will be our
place." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be
upon him) then called the two boys and told them to
name a price for that yard so that he might take it as a
mosque. The two boys said, "No, but we will give it as a
gift, O Messenger of Allah!" The Messenger of Allah
(peace and blessings be upon him) refused to take it as
a gift and insisted on buying it from them.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) built
a mosque there. He himself helped in the construction.
He started carrying unburned bricks for its building and
while doing so, he would say, "This load is better
than the load of Khaybar, for it is more pious in
the sight of Allah and purer and better
rewardable." He was also saying, "O Allah! The
actual reward is the reward in the Hereafter, so
bestow Your Mercy on the Ansar and the
Muhajirun (Immigrants)."
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Lessons and
Reflections
Hijrah Still Offers Valuable Lessons
Perfect Planning and
Reliance on Allah
Lessons for Muslim Minorities
Lessons for New Muslims
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Hijrah Still Offers Valuable
Lessons1
A new year begins.
Islamic history is full of
days and great occasions
that are good to celebrate -
taking from them that
which guides us to the right
path in difficult times.
The noble Hijrah from
Makkah to Madinah is one
of the grandest events in
the history of Islam.
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)
gives us through the two migrations - the first Hijrah of
the Muslims to Ethiopia and his own to Madinah, then
called Yathrib - many lessons and examples. He teaches
us that change requires hard work and sacrifice.
When the followers of the Prophet were harmed in
Makkah and could find no one to champion them and
1 By Dr. Muzammil Sidiqqi.
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feared sedition, the Prophet reviewed all the countries of
the neighboring world for a place to command them to
migrate to. If they went any region in the Arabian
Peninsula they would be returned to Quraysh. Persia
was overlooked because the Persians were idolaters, and
the Romans, though people of the book, were known for
being tough and tyrannical. The Prophet thought
Ethiopia would be the best. He ordered the companions
to migrate to Ethiopia ”Go to Ethiopia,”•he told them,
“there is a king there who is just.” This Hijrah was
termed the migration to the abode of safety, while the
migration to Madinah was termed the migration to the
abode of belief.
We thus learn from the Prophet that when we plan for
something we should make our plans considering all
aspects of the situation. He planned for the method of
travel, the provisions and who would lead the way.
When everything was meticulously planned, he put his
faith in Allah.
In the grand welcome the Prophet received upon
arriving in Madinah we find lessons and examples. For
the people of Madinah welcomed him and the
immigrants with great hospitality, knowing that they
would have to share with the immigrants their money
and homes and become their family - for the immigrants
had left their families behind in Makkah - and asked
rewards only from Allah. In this way, the Prophet
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achieved brotherhood between the Ansar (helpers of the
Prophet) and the Muhajirun (migrants), and they
became an example of the depth of belief.
The lessons and examples in the life of the Prophet
and the Hijrah to Madinah should not simply be seen as
a historical story to enjoy reading or hearing but one
that we should consider a model for our own actions, so
that we may truly be one of his followers.
O! Lord, do not deny us the joy of looking upon Your
noble face for our failings or the intercession of the
Prophet or Heaven.
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Perfect Planning and Reliance
on Allah1
If greatness of historical
events is measured by their
constructive influences and
decisive resultant effects on
the motion of life as well as
the march of human beings
on earth, the value of such
events is – besides this –
known through the elevated
morals, noble principles and
ethical demeanors that co-occur with these events.
Hence, the Hijrah event was by all measures an
outstanding milestone. It yielded great fruits, displayed
lofty principles and values in action, and expounded
Prophet Muhammad’s (peace and blessings be upon
him) prominent skill in planning as well as putting his
whole trust in Allah the Almighty.
This can be seen in so many situations and incidents
that took place throughout the course of Hijrah. Some of
1 Article by Dr. Ali Al-Halawani
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these will be cited here to help Muslims emulate them
and put them into action in due, similar contexts. Two of
the many perfect aspects of the Prophet’s personality
that appeared during the Hijrah event will be highlighted
here: the Prophet’s paramount ability to plan, and
putting his full trust in Allah following observing all the
possible material means.
Perfect planning
No doubt the Hijrah witnessed a number of
extraordinary incidents that show Allah’s perfect care for
His Prophet and his personal safety. Foremost among
these is the fact that Allah provided him with unseen
aides besides showering mercy and tranquility upon him.
The Qur’an states this as saying,{And Allah sent down
His tranquility upon him and supported him with
soldiers [i.e., angels] you did not see}. (At-Tawbah
9:40) However, the flow of incidents was guided by the
natural laws set by Allah to manage this present life and
govern all that takes place therein. This can be seen in
what follows.
As soon as the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon
him) was commanded to emigrate to Madinah he
entrusted Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, his closest friend and
companion, with the information. Two she-camels
were purchased and prepared for the journey by the
latter. The Prophet agreed to take one of them for
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himself, known as Al-Qaswaa’ afterwards, provided
that he would pay its price.
In order to deceive the Quraishites, the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) told `Ali ibn Abi
Talib, his cousin and companion, to sleep in his bed
and cover himself with his green mantle and assured
him full security under Allah’s protection and told
him that no harm would come to him. It is
remarkable that `Ali was then less than twenty years
old!
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) hired
a guide who knew the desert’s pathways very well to
guide them throughout the way to Madinah to ward
off any possibility of getting lost. It is also
remarkable that the guide who is known by the
name `Abdullah ibn Urayqit was then still a
disbeliever. However, the divinely-guided Prophet
hired him on the basis of having two basic qualities:
professional experience as a guide and his well-
known honesty.
When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)
set out for Madinah they went out from the latter’s
house through a skylight or a wicket in order to
evade the Quraishites who were resolved on
capturing them.
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In order to further camouflage their escape, the
Prophet and Abu Bakr took an unusual route to
Madinah. Instead of taking the road to Madinah in
north side of Makkah as the polytheists would
expect, they walked along a least expected
road south of Makkah leading to Yemen. They
reached the cave known by the name Thawr where
they stayed for three days until the search for them
lessened.
`Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr used to mix with the
Quraishites in their gatherings in order to collect
information and then visit the Prophet and his father
at the cave to apprise them of the latest situation in
Makkah. His sister, Asma’ bint Abi Bakr used to carry
food provisions to the Prophet and her father twice a
day. In addition, `Amir ibn Fuhairah who was
tending his master Abu Bakr’s flock, used to follow
both `Abdullah and Asmaa’ to erase their footprints.
This is due to the fact that the Arabs were famous
for tracking and through these footprints they could
have figured out which road the Prophet and his
companion have taken and the whole plan would
have failed.
The great caution exercised by the Prophet and Abu
Bakr in all their actions throughout the journey.
Whoever asked Abu Bakr about the identity of his
honorable companion (i.e., the Prophet), he would
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reply that he was a man who guided him on his way.
The questioner would think that Muhammad (peace
and blessings be upon him) was a guide, in terms of
roads, whereas Abu Bakr used to mean guide to the
way of righteousness. (Al-Bukhari) Thus, using his
wit, Abu Bakr answered the questioner without
revealing the Prophet’s identity or resorting to telling
lies.
Choosing Madinah as the final destination was not a
passing thought or a mere chance. Rather, it was a
well-studied decision and a predetermined fate. This
is due to the strategic geographic location Madinah
then enjoyed that would give the forthcoming Muslim
state a great influence on stirring events and
happenings all over the Arabian Peninsula. Added to
this the unique demographical structure as it
encompassed the three Jewish tribes: Banu
Qainuqa`, Banu Quraizah and Banu An-Nadir side by
side with the Arabs who belonged to the Aws and Al-
Khazraj tribes. Besides, the people of Madinah had
amicable relations with Da`wah as they met with the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) twice in
`Aqabah where they swore allegiance to him. Thus,
they were prepared for receiving Muslims as well as
the Prophet as a first step towards establishing the
first Muslim state.
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Reliance on Allah
In this pattern that is characterized by putting the
Prophet’s full trust in Allah as well as cherishing the
material means or natural laws set by Him in the
universe, the Hijrah incidents succeeded in a row. The
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was so
protected and supported by Allah Almighty that all the
Quraishites’ malicious schemes were defeated. It was
Allah’s Will that the plans of Prophet Muhammad
succeed and those of the disbelievers fail. He says in the
Ever-Glorious Qur’an, {Allah has already set for
everything a [decreed] extent}. (At-Talaq 65:3)
And, regarding Dhul Qarnain, Allah says, {Indeed, We
established him upon the earth, and We gave him
to everything a way [i.e., means]. So he followed a
way}. (Al-Kahf 18:84-85)
In a narration by Imam Ahmed on the authority of
Asmaa’ bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her)
that she said, “We prepared food provision for them…
they set out going around the mountains of Makkah until
they found the mountain which they chose as their
[temporary] resort. Upon seeing a man in front of the
cave, Abu Bakr said, “O Prophet of Allah! He could see
us!” The Prophet replied, “No! There are angels that
cover us with their wings”. The man sat to relieve
himself facing [the mouth of] the cave. Thereupon the
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Prophet said, “If he could see us, he would not do
that.” (Musnad Ahmed)
Despite all the efforts the Prophet has exerted to
camouflage the Hijrah event and maintain its secrecy,
the Quraishites reached the mouth of the cave where he
and Abu Bakr were hiding. This means that when the
required human effort is exhausted, comes the aid from
Allah Who never lets down or abandons His Prophet
and/or his worshippers in a way that may deliver them
to His and their adversaries. The Almighty reaffirms this
meaning in the Qur’an that He will protect His Prophet
when he is forsaken and/or unattended by all other
supporters. The companions were scattered at that time
as many of them have emigrated to Madinah earlier,
while some remained in Makkah. Thus, the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) had no one else left
beside him at that very time except Allah and Abu
Bakr…
{If you do not aid him [i.e., the Prophet] – Allah
has already aided him when those who disbelieved
had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two,
when they were in the cave and he [Muhammad]
said to his companion, “Do not grieve; indeed
Allah is with us.” And Allah sent down His
tranquility upon him and supported him with
soldiers [i.e., angels] you did not see and made
the word of those who disbelieved the lowest,
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while the word of Allah – that is the highest. And
Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise}.(At-Tawbah
9:40)
Thus, following taking care of all material means in
terms of planning and preparing for the action, the
Prophet put his trust in Allah and declared his complete
dependence on Him Alone and he earnestly directed his
face along with his heart towards Allah seeking His
mercy, guidance and assistance. In short, the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) put his trust in Allah
without negligence of material means.
This is a great lesson that needs to be learnt by each
and every Muslim who should have strict faith that
Allah’s help will descend when one’s human means are
exhausted and that s/he should be confident that victory
is always from Allah who states, {And victory is not
except from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the
Wise}. (Aal `Imran 3:126)
To conclude, human effort in the world of observing
material means cannot be neglected or made little of by
Muslims especially those who shoulder the responsibility
of inviting others to the way of Allah under the pretense
of depending on Allah and leaving everything to Him. If
Prophet Muhammad – though was well protected by
Allah – observed all possible human material means to
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make his plan work out, no doubt we would be more
entitled to observe all possible means and use all our
cunning and planning skills to make our designs
succeed. We have to do all what we can then leave the
results to Allah Who knows better than any of His
creatures.
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For Muslim Minorities1
The Emigration to
Madinah (Hijrah) was a
turning point
in Muslim history that has
many inspiring lessons,
especially for Muslim
minorities.
Prophet Muhammad (peac
e and blessings be on him)
and his Companions set
wonderful examples that
Muslims should learn from
and translate into practice in all aspects of life.
After the Prophet and his Companions’ migrated to
Madinah, previously known as Yathrib, it became the
second most important city in Islam, after Makkah.
Though Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be
on him) never forgot his love for Makkah, he remained
in Madinah until he breathed his last; he protected and
developed it. Prophet Muhammad and his Companions
1 An article written by Dr. Wael Shihab.
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spared no effort to cultivate Madinah and turn it into a
developed, civilized city.
Muslims living in majority non-Muslim countries,
whether emigrants or natives, have important lessons to
draw from the Hijrah occasion.
True Spirit of Citizenship
Once settled in Madinah, Prophet Muhammad and his
Companions from Makkah loved and cared about it the
same way they were concerned about Makkah, their
original home.
Out of his great love and care for Madinah,
Prophet Muhammad declared it as a sacred, inviolable
city, the same way Makkah had been a sacred city.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) said,
"Verily [Prophet] Ibrahim declared
Makkah sacred and supplicated (for blessings to
be showered) upon its inhabitants, and I declare
Madinah to be sacred as lbrahim had declared
Makkah to be sacred. I have supplicated (Allah for
His blessings to be showered) in its sa' and
its mudd(two standards of weight and
measurement) twice as did Ibrahim for the
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inhabitants of Makkah." (Muslim, Sahih, hadith no.
1360)
Prophet Muhammad and his Companions exerted
their utmost efforts to defend their country, Madinah,
against foreign aggression and attacks. They fought all
invading forces which attacked and targeted their city,
even when aggressors were from their original tribes
and cities. In the 5th. year of Hijrah, for example, the
Prophet and his Companions courageously
defended Madinah against the allied tribes led by
Quraish, which had gathered in large numbers to invade
the city.
After the conquest of Makkah in the eighth year after
Hijrah, Prophet Muhammad(peace and blessings be
on him) and his prominent Companions returned back to
Madinah to stay there until the end of their lives. Some
people thought that the Prophet would return to
Makkah after the Muslim victory; however, he (peace
and blessings be on him), along with prominent
Companions, went back to Madinah and continued
serving it and working for its betterment.
Muslim minorities, in Europe, Americas and elsewhere
around the world, should be faithful and loyal citizens to
their countries where they live. There is no conflict
between faithful citizenship and preserving one’s faith.
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Muslims should precede others in serving their
communities and working for their interest and
wellbeing.
Peaceful Co-Existence
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be on him)
and his Companions established good relations
with other communities living in Madinah. There was a
large Jewish community as well as some other Arab
tribes who had not accepted Islam. The Prophet (peace
and blessings be on him) prepared a mithaq (a covenant
or a constitution) for organizing relations between these
communities. The covenant of Madinah laid down broad
principles on which cordial relations would be
established between Muslims and non-Muslims.
Protection of life and property, and freedom of thought
and of worship were guaranteed. Among the principles
of the covenant are:
“The Jews and the Muslims, . . . each group must
support the other against anyone who fights the people
of this document (covenant of Madinah). Their
relationship shall be one of mutual advice and
consultation, and mutual assistance and charity rather
than harm and aggression . . . Charity and goodness are
clearly distinguishable from crime and injury, and there
is no responsibility except for one’s own deeds. God is
the guarantor of the truth and good will of this
covenant. This covenant shall constitute no protection
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for the unjust or criminal.” (See Sirat Ibn Hisham, pp.
110-111)
Muslim minorities, therefore, should not only
peacefully co-exist with other communities of their
country, but they should also support and assist them in
goodness as much as they can. In doing so, Muslims are
following the path of the Prophet (peace and blessings
be on him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased
with them) who worked for the interest and wellbeing of
all communities living withthem in Madinah.
Developing the Community
On arriving in Madinah, the Prophet (peace and
blessings be on him) built his masjid to provide social
and educational services for the community. People used
to gather to hold educational and spiritual sessions in
the Prophet’s masjid. Social celebrations and
gatherings—such as weddings—took place in the masjid.
People discussed various concerns of the city in the
Prophet’s masjid, which was not confined to the
performance of Prayers.
Before Hijrah, Yathrib was a polluted city. When the
Prophet's Companions came from Makkah to Madinah,
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many of them fell sick. The Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) asked them to clean the city and
rid it from its dirt. He (peace and blessings be oh him)
supplicated Allah to bless Madinah and protect it against
plagues and illness. `Aishah, may Allah be pleased
with her, said: “We came to Madinah and it was the
most polluted land of Allah. The water there was most
stinking.” (See Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami` As-Sahih, hadith no.
3926)
Moreover, the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) asked his Companions to dig wells in different
parts of the city. It is mentioned that more than 50 wells
were dug in Madinah, and that afterwards there was
enough clean water for everyone. Also, the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged the
Companions to cultivate the land and grow gardens. He
told them that any one who would cultivate any dead
land, would own it. Many people started working and
cultivating and soon there was enough food for
everyone. (See Ar-Ruba`i, Fath Al-Ghaffar, 3:1294)
Muslim minorities should actively participate in the
development of their communities. Islamic centers,
particularly in the West, should provide educational and
social services for all communities. Masjids should play a
vital role in marinating good and fair relations with other
communities. Muslims, following the example of the
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Prophet and his Companions, should exert their utmost
efforts to promote and develop their countries.
Noble Characters and Behavior
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be on him)
and his Companions were the most honest, faithful,
trustworthy, loyal, and truthful people that the world has
ever known. In Madinah, they dealt faithfully
and honestly with all people, irrespective of their faith,
race, or cultural background. They loved goodness and
wellbeing for all. The Companions refused to stay idle or
be dependent on others; they rather engaged in work
and trade to earn their lawful livelihood and benefit their
community.
Ibrahim ibn Sa`d narrated from his father from his
grandfather: `Abdur-Rahman ibn `Awf said, "When we
came to Madinah as emigrants, Allah's Messenger
established a bond of brotherhood between me and
Sa`d ibn Ar-Rabi`. Sa`d ibn Ar-Rabi` said (to me), 'I
am the richest among the Ansar (the people of Madinah
who welcomed and helped the Prophet and his
Companions), so I will give you half of my wealth and
you may look at my two wives and whichever of the two
you may choose I will divorce her, and when she has
completed the prescribed waiting period (before
marriage) you may marry her.' `Abdur-Rahman replied,
"I am not in need of all that. [Another narration of the
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hadith reads: May Allah bless you in your family and
property.] Is there any marketplace where trade is
practiced?' He replied, "The market of Qainuqa`."
`Abdur-Rahman went to that market the following day
and brought some dried buttermilk (yogurt) and butter,
and then he continued going there regularly. Few days
later, `Abdur-Rahman came having traces of yellow
(scent) on his body. Allah's Messenger asked him
whether he had got married. He replied in the
affirmative. The Prophet said, 'Whom have you
married?' He replied, 'A woman from the Ansar.' Then
the Prophet asked, 'How much did you pay her?' He
replied, '(I gave her) a gold piece equal in weigh to a
date stone (or a date stone of gold)! The Prophet
said, 'Give a walimah (wedding banquet) even if
with one sheep .'" (Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami` As-Sahih,
hadith no. 2048)
The Qur’an praised and commended the morals and
characters of the early Muslim community in Madinah,
saying,
“And those who before them, had homes (in
Madinah) and had adopted the Faith, show their
affection to such as came to them for refuge, and
entertain no desire in their hearts for things given
to the (latter), but give them preference over
themselves, even though poverty was their (own
lot). And those saved from the covetousness of
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their own souls, they are the ones that achieve
prosperity.” (Al-Hashir 59:9)
Muslims living in majority non-Muslim countries,
should never hesitate to give priority to public interest
and the social welfare of their communities over their
own personal benefits. They should be good examples
for others in faithfulness, trustworthiness, cooperation in
goodness, honesty, etc., which are the traits of true
Muslims.
In short, the Hijrah occasion revives noble morals and
characters of Muslims. It could be once again a turning
point in Muslims’ lives if they learn and implement its
golden lessons: the universal messages of peace, love,
human brotherhood, development, noble morals, and
wellbeing.
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Lessons for New Muslims1
The early Muslim
community suffered a lot
before they were ordered to
leave Makkah and go to
Madinah.
The persecution exercised
against Muslims increased
especially after the death of
Prophet Muhammad’s
beloved wife, lady Khadijah
and his uncle, Abu Talib. At a certain point, it was
necessary to look for a new soil to plant the seed of
Islam, to spread the word of God, and to practice Islam
in a secure and receptive environment.
I am not going to give a detailed account of the
events of the Prophet's emigration to Madinah. Such
details can be found in the Hadith Collection of al-
Bukhari (hadith no. 245). However, I am going to
mention some lessons that can be drawn from this great
event in the history of Islam.
1 An article written by Mohsen Haredy.
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The first lesson is patience. By patience I mean
enduring the hardships put forward by the people of
Quraish to check the tide of Islam. Muslims were
boycotted; they were not allowed to buy and sell in the
open market or engage in any business. However, they
persevered and accepted the tribulation.
After the command of emigrating to Madinah,
Muslims left behind everything they loved, their families,
friends, their country, etc. Why did they do that?
Because they put their trust in God and cherished hope
in His mercy that He will make a way out for them. In
Madinah, Muslims were free to practice their religion and
they were able to establish a new state.
New Muslims can learn from this lesson that there is
some light at the end of the tunnel. You might be
treated badly or ridiculed by your families, neighbors
and friends. Therefore, do like what the early Muslims
did; endure the hardships with patience. Do not lose
hope. Rest assured that your decision to take Islam your
way of life will not let you down.
Put Your Trust in God
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Nothing on earth should make you give up. See how
the Prophet behaved when he was in the cave and the
people of Quraish were following him. His friend Abu
Bakr reported that:” I was in the company of the
Prophet in the cave, and on seeing the traces of the
pagans, I said, "O Allah's messenger if one of them
(pagans) should lift up his foot, he will see us." He said,
"What do you think of two, the third of whom is Allah?"
(Al-Bukhari)
Put your trust in God and be sure that He is always
there to help you.
Although the people of Quraish were hostile towards
the Prophet and wanted to put an end to his life and
message, they used to call him the truthful and the
trustworthy. They used also to entrust him with their
valuables. What a contradiction!
His honesty was put to test when he was ordered to
emigrate. What would he do with the valuables
entrusted with him? Would he use it to make his
emigration plan successful? Would he give it to his
followers? On the contrary, the Prophet asked his cousin
Ali ibn Abi Talib to delay his emigration for three days so
that he can return to people their valuables.
We learn from this situation that when you are put to
test, do not forget your principles. Do not forget what
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your religion asks you to do. Islam urges you to be
honest with all people, Muslims and non-Muslims. If a
colleague or friend entrusts you with something and it
happens that you are not in good terms with him, do not
give yourself excuses misusing the trust. You have to
return it to him immediately. By this you will be teaching
him something about Muslim's ethical code.
A Professional Guide
When the Prophet and Abu Bakr decided to leave
Makkah, they wanted to get the job done professionally.
Therefore, they hired Abdullah ibn Urayqit, a non-Muslim
who was a professional guide in Makkah, to act as their
guide. Lady Aishah reported that: “Allah's messenger
and Abu Bakr had hired a man from the tribe of Bani Al-
Dil from the family of Bani `Abd ibn `Adi as an expert
guide, and he was in alliance with the family of Al-`As
bin Wa'il Al-Sahmi and he was on the religion of the
people of Quraish. The Prophet and Abu Bakr trusted
him and gave him their two she-camels and took his
promise to bring their two she-camels to the cave of the
mountain of “Thawr” in the morning three nights later.
And (when they set out), `Amir ibn Fuhairah and the
guide went along with them and the guide led them
along the sea-shore." (Al-Bukhari)
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We learn from this situation that there is no problem
to seek the help of people of other faiths as long as they
are qualified enough and have more experience than
Muslims. If it happens that a new Muslim is in trouble
and the solution to his trouble is in the hand of someone
who belongs to another religion, he should seek his help
as long as he is a trustworthy person.
If there is a vacant job for which two persons apply,
Islam teaches that proficiency comes before piety. Take
the professional even he is not Muslim. By this, you are
doing the Muslim who is not qualified enough a favor. He
will learn more and gain more experience so that next
time he will be accepted.
In Madinah
After the Prophet arrived to Madinah, the people of
Madinah welcomed him and protected him as they would
protect themselves and their families. The Prophet
ordered that each Helper (one of the Ansar) would have
an Emigrant (Muhajir) brother. In their new life after
conversion, new Muslims should interact with their
Muslim community and they have to adapt to the
customs of their community. New Muslims are the
emigrants and Muslim communities are the helpers
(Ansar). Muslim communities should welcome new
Muslims and help them.
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Another important lesson of the Hijrah is how the
Prophet approached those who showed interest in Islam.
When he met the first delegation of the Khazraj he just
told them about Islam and only urged them to read the
Quran. Next year he told them about the acts of
worship, manners and virtues. In the second `Aqabah
pledge, the Ansar accepted to protect the Prophet and
his followers as mentioned above.
This is how new Muslims should be approached. First,
they have to be convinced of God's oneness. In later
stages, they can learn how to perform the Prayer, pay
the Zakah, observe fasting, etc.
It is noteworthy that what we celebrate on the month
of Muharram is the beginning of applying the Islamic
calendar because the emigration took place in the month
of Rabi` al-Awwal not in Muharram.
So, let's make the new Hijri year a new start for all of
us.
Let's make it a turning point in our life.
Let's start a new leaf.
Let's purify our intentions in every action we do and
make it only to please God the Almighty.
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Let's apply the actual meaning of Hijrah as the
Prophet is reported to have said: "An emigrant is the
one who abandons what Allah has made unlawful."
(Al-Bukhari)
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Hijrah
Heroes
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Hijrah
Heroes
Abu Bakr As-Siddiq
Umm Salamah
`Umar ibn Al-Khattab
Asma’ Bint Abi Bakr
Suhaib ibn Sinan
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Abu Bakr As-Siddiq1
`Abdullah ibn `Uthman
ibn `Amir ibn `Amr from a
branch of the Quraysh tribe.
His father, `Uthman, was
known as Abu Quhafa. His
mother, Salma, was also
known as Umm Al-Khayr.
From his early years, Abu
Bakr was known for his good
and upright nature. He was
honest and truthful and came from a noble family. These
things won him respect among the people. His goodness
also won him the friendship of young Muhammad (peace
and blessings be upon him). The two became fast
friends in early boyhood. The friendship was to prove
lifelong and history making.
When he grew up, Abu Bakr became a rich merchant,
but he remained very kindhearted. When he saw
someone in trouble, his heart melted and he did his best
to help him. If his money could remove suffering, he did
not care how much he had to spend. Once he gave away
35 thousand dirhams out of his total fortune of 40
1 By Abdul Wahid Hamid.
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Heroes
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thousand. He was so honest in his dealings that people
kept their money with him. But above all, Abu Bakr had
a sincere heart and a firm will. Nothing could stop him from doing what he thought was the right thing to do.
When the Makkans were intent on putting out, once
and for all, the light of Islam, Allah commanded the
Prophet to move to Madinah. In the burning heat of the
midday sun, there was a knock at Abu Bakr's door. The
Messenger of Allah sought permission to enter, and after
everyone else had left the room, he told Abu Bakr, "I
must leave for Madinah tonight."
“Will I also have the honor of going with you?” asked
Abu Bakr eagerly. “Of course,” came the reply. “Get things ready.”
Abu Bakr was beside himself with joy. “I have been
looking forward to this day for months,” he exclaimed. "I
have kept two camels specifically to carry us to Madinah.”
It was Abu Bakr who made all the arrangements for
the historic journey. For three days he and the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) lay hidden in the
cave of Thawr. Abu Bakr's slave tended flocks of goats
near the cave all day and supplied them fresh milk for
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food. His son `Abdullah brought news about what the Makkans were doing.
The Makkans were searching for the Prophet like mad
hounds. Once they came right to the mouth of the cave.
Abu Bakr grew pale, fearing not for himself, but for the
Prophet. However, the Prophet remained perfectly calm.
"Do not fear," he said to Abu Bakr. "Certainly Allah is
with us."
Of all the companions, Abu Bakr had the honor of
being with the Prophet during the most critical days of
his life. Abu Bakr knew full well what this honor meant and did full justice to the trust put in him.
After the Prophet’s death, Abu Bakr was chosen as
the caliph. He served for only two years, three months,
and ten days before he, too, passed away. During this
short period, Abu Bakr was able to do great things for
Islam that made his name immortal and placed him among the greatest men of all times.
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Umm Salamah1
Umm Salamah! What an
eventful life she had! Her real
name was Hind. She was the
daughter of one of the
notables in the Makhzum clan
nicknamed “Zad Ar-Rakib”
(which means the provision
for the traveler) because he
was well known for his
generosity, particularly to
travelers. Umm Salamah’s
husband was `Abdullah ibn `Abdul-Asad and they both
were among the first people to accept Islam. Only Abu
Bakr and a few others, who could be counted on the fingers of one hand, became Muslims before them.
As soon as the news of their becoming Muslims
spread, the Quraysh reacted with frenzied anger. They
began hounding and persecuting Umm Salamah and her
husband. But the couple did not waver or despair and remained steadfast in their new faith.
1 By Abdul Wahid Hamid.
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The persecution became more and more intense. Life
in Makkah became unbearable for many of the new
Muslims. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) then gave permission for them to immigrate to
Abyssinia. Umm Salamah and her husband were in the
forefront of these seekers of refuge in a strange land.
For Umm Salamah, it meant abandoning her home and
giving up the traditional ties of lineage and honor for
something new, pursuing the pleasure and reward of
Allah.
Despite the protection Umm Salamah and her
companions received from the Abyssinian ruler, the
desire to return to Makkah, to be near the Prophet and the source of revelation and guidance, persisted.
News eventually reached the emigrants that the
number of Muslims in Makkah had increased. Among
them were Hamzah ibn `Abdul-Muttalib and `Umar ibn
Al-Khattab. Their faith had greatly strengthened the
community, and the Quraysh, they heard, had eased the
persecution somewhat. Thus a group of the emigrants,
urged on by a deep longing in their hearts, decided to return to Makkah.
The easing of the persecution was brief, as the
returnees soon found out. The dramatic increase in the
number of Muslims following the acceptance of Islam by
Hamzah and `Umar had infuriated the Quraysh more
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than ever. They intensified their persecution and torture
to a pitch and intensity not known before. So the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave
permission to his Companions to immigrate to Madinah.
Umm Salamah and her husband were among the first to leave.
The Hijrah of Umm Salamah and her husband,
though, was not as easy as they had imagined. In fact,
it was a bitter and painful experience and a particularly harrowing one for her.
Let us leave the story now for Umm Salamah herself to tell:
When Abu Salamah (my husband) decided to leave
for Madinah, he prepared a camel for me, hoisted me on
it and placed our son Salamah on my lap. My husband
then took the lead and went on without stopping or
waiting for anything. Before we were out of Makkah,
however, some men from my clan stopped us and said
to my husband, “Though you are free to do what you
like with yourself, you have no power over your wife.
She is our daughter. Do you expect us to allow you to take her away from us?”
They then pounced on him and snatched me away
from him. My husband’s clan, Banu `Abdul-Asad, saw
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them taking both my child and me. They became hot with rage.
“No! By Allah,” they shouted, “we shall not abandon
the boy. He is our son and we have a first claim over him.”
They took him by the hand and pulled him away from
me. Suddenly, in the space of a few moments, I found
myself alone and lonely. My husband headed for
Madinah by himself and his clan had snatched my son
away from me. My own clan, Banu Makhzum, overpowered me and forced me to stay with them.
From the day when my husband and my son were
separated from me, I went out at noon every day to that
valley and sat at the spot where this tragedy had
occurred. I would recall those terrible moments and weep until night fell on me.
I continued like this for a year or so, until one day a
man from the Banu Umayyah passed by and saw my
condition. He went back to my clan and said, “Why don’t
you free this poor woman? You have caused her husband and her son to be taken away from her.”
He went on trying to soften their hearts and play on
their emotions. At last they said to me, “Go and join your husband if you wish.”
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But how could I join my husband in Madinah and
leave my son, a piece of my own flesh and blood, in
Makkah among the Banu `Abdul-Asad? How could I be
free from anguish and my eyes be free from tears were I
to reach the place of Hijrah not knowing anything of my little son left behind in Makkah?
Some realized what I was going through and their
hearts went out to me. They petitioned the Banu
`Abdul-Asad on my behalf and moved them to return my son.
I did not now even want to linger in Makkah until I
found someone to travel with me and I was afraid that
something might happen that would delay or prevent me
from reaching my husband. So I promptly got my camel
ready, placed my son on my lap, and left in the direction
of Madinah.
I had just about reached Tan’im (about three miles
from Makkah) when I met Uthman ibn Talhah. (He was
a keeper of the Ka`bah in pre-Islamic times and was not yet a Muslim.)
“Where are you going, daughter of Zad Ar-Rakib?” he
asked.
“I am going to my husband in Madinah.”
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“And there isn’t anyone with you?”
“No, by Allah. Except Allah and my little boy here.”
“By Allah, I shall never abandon you until you reach Madinah,” he vowed.
He then took the reins of my camel and led us on. I
have, by Allah, never met an Arab more generous and
noble than he. When we reached a resting place, he
would make my camel kneel down, wait until I
dismounted, lead the camel to a tree and tether it. He
would then go to the shade of another tree. When we
had rested, he would get the camel ready and lead us on.
This he did every day until we reached Madinah.
When we got to a village near Quba’ (about two miles
from Madinah) belonging to the Banu `Amr ibn `Awf, he
said, “Your husband is in this village. Enter it with the blessings of God.”
He turned back and headed for Makkah.
Their roads finally met after the long separation.
Umm Salamah was overjoyed to see her husband and
he was delighted to see his wife and son.
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Great and momentous events followed one after the
other. There was the battle of Badr, in which Abu
Salamah fought. The Muslims returned victorious and
strengthened. Then there was the battle of Uhud, in
which the Muslims were sorely tested. Abu Salamah
came out of this very badly wounded. He appeared at
first to respond well to treatment, but his wounds never healed completely and he remained bedridden.
Once, while Umm Salamah was nursing him, he said
to her, “I heard the Messenger of Allah saying whenever
a calamity afflicts anyone he should say, ‘We belong to
Allah and to Him shall we return; O Allah, with You I
leave my plight for consideration, reward me for my
affliction and give me something better than it in
exchange for it.’”
Abu Salamah remained sick in bed for several days
and then he passed away. With his blessed hands, the
Prophet closed the eyes of his dead Companion and
invoked Allah to forgive Abu Salamah, raise his degree
among those who are rightly guided, take charge of his
descendants who remain, make his grave spacious, and grant him light in it.
Umm Salamah remembered the prayer her husband
had quoted from the Prophet and began repeating it, “O
Lord, with you I leave this my plight for consideration….”
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But she could not bring herself to continue with “O Lord,
give me something better than it in exchange for it.”
She kept asking herself, “Who could be better than Abu
Salamah?” But after a while she completed the supplication.
Umm Salamah did not know a person better than Abu
Salamah. She was not aware that Allah spared for her
the best ever person—the Prophet himself. He (peace
and blessings be upon him) married her, and so it was
that Allah answered the prayer of Umm Salamah and
gave her better than Abu Salamah. From that day on,
Hind Al-Makhzumiyah was no longer the mother of
Salamah alone but became the Mother of All Believers (Umm Al-Mu’mineen).
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`Umar ibn Al-Khattab1
To write an essay, an
editorial, or even a book
about someone is not an
impossible thing. Rather, it
is something tenable and
achievable. It only needs
some basic information on
the person, his life, deeds,
stances, ideologies, and
others’ opinions of him.
This is true of most of the
ordinary people whom we
meet every day and elsewhere. But this is not feasible
when it is an occasion to write on a personality such as `Umar ibn Al-Khattab.
You may not believe me if I say that to write on
`Umar for me was a lifetime dream. It is a wish also
that if Allah gives me a boy child, I will certainly name
him after `Umar. I do feel like there is some sort of
intimacy between me and him (on my part of course!).
Sometimes I imagine myself living during the era of the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his
1 By Dr. Ali Al-Halawni.
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honorable Companions. Who among the Companions
would I like to be then? `Umar is my first choice. This is
not to underestimate any of the other honorable
Companions in any way— Allah forbid! But, as I have
just mentioned, I feel that I want to be like him in his
courage, strength, firmness, justice, magnanimity,
modesty, etc.
When I read about his strength, it is as if I am
watching him training the young men of Makkah on
bodybuilding by lifting stones and rocks on mountains.
When I hear about his firmness and resolve, it is as if I
am watching him asking the Prophet to order `Abbad
ibn Bishr to kill someone who once offended Allah and
His Messenger. When I am told about his courage, it is
as if I am watching him challenging the whole tribe of
Quraysh when he resolved to migrate to Madinah. When
I read about his death, I feel as if I myself am bleeding
as if I were the one who was stabbed by the dagger in
the dirty hand of Abu Lu’lu’ah the Magian.
There are many traditions that speak of the high
regard that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) had for `Umar. Relating a vision he had seen, the
Prophet said that he has never seen a genius like `Umar
who could do the same. This means that `Umar was
considered by the Prophet a unique man who could do
things that could not be emulated by others no matter
how hard they tried.
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History testifies to the unprecedented deeds done by
`Umar, either immediately after embracing Islam or
through his career as the Commander of the Faithful. In
fact, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was
able to delve deeply into the hearts of his men to know
by faithful intuition and inspiration the qualities of those
around him and their inherent characteristics. Through
that ability, the Prophet knew for what situations each
was perfectly fit, to what kind of work each was
qualified, when to recall one for an incident, and when to dismiss and overlook him.
In the same vein, a number of traditions have come
down to us which speak of the Prophet’s assessment of `Umar.
Before the reversion of `Umar to Islam, the prayer of
the Prophet is on record: “O Allah! Glorify Your faith by (the reversion of) `Umar.”
There are also many Prophetic traditions that speak
of the high esteem that the Companions of the Prophet
had for `Umar. `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud said, “`Umar’s
submission to Islam was a fath (victory), his migration
was a victory, his imamate was a blessing, and I have
seen when we were unable to pray at the House (the Ka`bah) until he submitted to Islam.”
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Also, the comment of `Ali ibn Abi Talib on the
migration of `Umar has to be written by letters of light
on the pages of history:
I never knew anyone migrated unless secretly except
`Umar, for he, when he resolved on migration, girt on
his sword and slung over his bow and grasped in his
hand its arrows, and went to the Ka`bah where in its
quadrangle were the chiefs of the Quraysh, and he went
round about it seven times, then prayed two rak`ahs at
the Station of Ibrahim, and went to each, one by one, in
their circles and said, “May the faces be foul! If anyone
desires that his mother be bereaved of him and his child
be left an orphan and his wife a widow, and if there be
such a one, let him meet me behind this valley.” But no
one followed him.
Thus, while almost all the other Muslims left Makkah
secretly, `Umar publicly declared that he was
proceeding to Madinah. He even challenged the Quraysh
tribe that if any one of them had the courage to stop
him, he was welcome to try his strength with him. Not
even a single member of the Quraysh had the courage
to prevent him from completing what he was set on
doing, and no one accepted the challenge to measure swords with him.
Truly, death is more pleasant than living in a state of
cowardice and humility! What is courage if it is not
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daring death when it calls upon the courageous? And
who is more daring than the courageous who believes
that he is on the right side? Even you can now listen to
`Umar as if he were saying “To die for the right is better
than to live for falsehood. Courage is recommended,
cowardice is detestable, and falsehood is vulnerable to
vanish!”
`Umar continued to live simply till he met his own
death. One of his companions reminisced about `Umar’s
days, “When he walked, he did so quickly as to get
someplace; when he spoke, he was loud enough to be
heard; and when he hit, it would hurt.” He was a man of
purpose and mission and action. He left a legacy to be emulated, but at the same time it is not easy to follow.
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Asma’ Bint Abi Bakr1
Asma’ bint Abi Bakr
belonged to a distinguished
Muslim family. Her father,
Abu Bakr, was a close friend
of the Prophet and the first
caliph after his death. Her
half-sister `A'ishah was a wife
of the Prophet and one of the
Mother of the Believers. Her
husband, Az-Zubayr ibn Al-
`Awwam, was one of the
special personal aides of the Prophet. Her son `Abdullah
became well-known for his incorruptibility and his
unswerving devotion to Truth.
Asma’ herself was one of the first persons to accept
Islam. Only about seventeen persons including both men
and women became Muslims before her. She was later
given the nickname Dhat An-Nitaqayn (the One with
Two Waistbelts) because of an incident connected with
the departure of the Prophet and her father from Makkah on the historic Hijrah to Madinah.
1 By Abdul Wahid Hamid.
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Asma’ was one of the few persons who knew of the
Prophet's plan to leave for Madinah. The utmost secrecy
had to be maintained because of the Quraysh’s plans to
murder the Prophet. On the night of their departure,
Asma’ prepared a bag of food and a water container for
their journey. Not finding anything to tie the containers
with, she decided to use her waistbelt (nitaq) but
followed her father’s suggestion to tear it into two. The
Prophet commended her action and from then on she
became known as the One with the Two Waistbelts.
When it came her turn to emigrate from Makkah,
soon after the departure of the Prophet, Asma’ was
pregnant. She did not let her pregnancy or the prospect
of a long and arduous journey deter her from leaving. As
soon as she reached Quba’ on the outskirts of Madinah,
she gave birth to a son, `Abdullah. The Muslims shouted
“Allahu Akbar” (Allah is the Greatest) and “La ilaha illa
Allah” (There is no god but Allah) in happiness and
thanksgiving because this was the first child to be born to the Muhajirun in Madinah.
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Suhaib ibn Sinan1
{Of the believers
are men who are
true to that which
they covenanted
with Allah. Some of
them have paid
their vow by death
(in battle), and
some of them still
are waiting; and
they have not
altered in the least} (Al-Ahzab 33:23).
In these modern times of sophisticated technology,
people have a real need to satisfy their spiritual desires
in the same way that they strive hard to cater to their
bodily needs. Part of achieving this is to epitomize the
shining examples of the Prophet’s Companions and
study their biographies with special reference to their enormous contribution to the unique event of the Hijrah.
Among the Prophet’s Companions who played a
notable role in the migration to Madinah is Abu Yahya,
Suhaib ibn Sinan who was born surrounded by comfort
1 By Dr. El-Sayid Amin.
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and luxury: his father was a famous governor in Iraq
long before the advent of Islam. Young Suhaib was
captured along with a large number of young boys in his
community by some Greek invaders and spent years in
bondage in the Byzantine Empire. Later, on reaching
Makkah, he sacrificed his money and surrendered his
soul and exposed his heart to experience the light of his iman.
On reaching Makkah he became a staunch Muslim
and a firm believer in the new faith. Suhaib had a
chance for his heart to see the new faith in its real shape
and to hear directly from the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him). Later, he pledged to be loyal to his new faith.
Suhaib was persecuted and harassed for becoming a
Muslim; hence he resolved to migrate to Madinah in the
company of the Prophet and Abu Bakr, but the Qurayshi
oppressors foiled his plans. They even placed guards
over him to prevent him from leaving and taking his
wealth. Later, Suhaib managed to migrate to Madinah,
but he had to leave everything behind. He arrived in
Madinah with nothing. Upon seeing him, the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) greeted him
cheerfully and said, “O Abu Yahya! A profitable sale! A
profitable sale!” And the following Qur’anic verse was revealed:
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{And there is a type of man who gives his life to
earn the pleasure of God. And God is full of
kindness to His servants} (Al-Baqarah, 2:207).
It is clear from what is mentioned above that Suhaib
was a man who possessed unique traits, and the most
distinguishing of those traits was his inner sense of
sacrifice. He sacrificed his possessions because of his
religion. He sacrificed the false faith of the Greeks and
became a Muslim by choice. Suhaib (may Allah be
pleased with him) migrated with his soul before he
migrated with his body. He yearned to accompany the
Prophet, although the shackles of oppression hindered
him. He was a role model for us, and his personal
experience in the Hijrah should be a shining example to
us all.
All of us possess good traits, some more than others,
but it is high time to trigger good acts, good intentions,
and good faith within ourselves. It is high time to
reevaluate our approach to our religion, our creed, our
religious commitment. People like Suhaib (may Allah be
pleased with him) moved on earth while leaving their
hearts hovering in high heavens. We need to do this, or
at least to imitate this. We need to fill our hearts with
purity. We need to inch closer and closer to Allah by
seizing these refreshing opportunities and Islamic
occasions. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) said,
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“Truly in the body there is a morsel of flesh
which, if it be whole, all the body is whole and
which, if it be diseased, all of it is diseased. Truly it is the heart.”
Suhaib and other Companions were deeply moved by
faith rather than reason. We need to declare full
submission to the commands of Allah in order to rid
ourselves of material trappings, in the same way
Companion Suhaib did. When we taste the real meaning
of hijrah, when we turn over a new leaf with Allah, and
when we allow our pure hearts to lead us on the true
track, we will never derail or get lost, but rather we will
end up guiding by example, and ruling by example. Allah Almighty says,
{Is not the time ripe for the hearts of those
who believe to submit to Allah's reminder
and to the truth which is revealed, that they
become not as those who received the
Scripture of old but the term was prolonged
for them and so their hearts were hardened,
and many of them are evil-livers} (Al-Hadid
57:16).